BBC Arabic launches Aan Korb festival

[jansagar]

BBC Arabic launches Aan Korb festival
Rebecca Hawkes | 25-03-2014
BBC Arabic is hosting a new film and documentary festival to highlight the best features, shorts and journalism about the Arab world since the beginning of the uprisings in December 2010.

The festival, called Aan Korb (Close Up), will take place between 31 October and 3 November 2014 in the Radio Theatre of BBC Broadcasting House in London, in conjunction with the British Council.

“The BBC Arabic Film and Documentary Festival aims to draw young talent from around the world and to give filmmakers the platform to share their distinctive journalistic and artistic work,” said Tarik Kafala, head of BBC Arabic.

“Hosting the festival in London will also benefit British audiences. Many people in the UK know little about Arab cinema, the challenges of filmmaking in the region and the personal stories behind the news. We hope the festival will bring them closer to the Middle East and to some of the people telling its stories.”

Original and arresting entries from young people aged 18 to 30 are also being sought by the organisers, with training, mentoring and equipment valued at up to £10,000 on offer as the prize. The BBC may also commission the winning project.

Filmmakers, producers, documentary makers, journalists and citizen journalists of all ages and nationalities are invited to submit entries by 2 May 2014, with full details available at bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26515589.